Elite Mini Heater?

I have an 50w Elite minI heater in my 20 gallon tall tank and I'm having problems with keeping the temperatures stable? The temperature tends to fluctuate about 4-5 degrees, rising in the daytime and dropping at night. It is warmer in my apartment during the day obviously, but shouldn't that mean that the heater stays off during the day or works harder at night? I have been turning it up and down because either it will still be on at 83 or not be on at 77. Am I not doing something right or do I need a better heater?

I need to get this worked out because I'm going out of town on Saturday. So if I'm ordering another heater, I have to do it today so it gets here in time. Thanks

 

Sorry to say but it sounds like a defective heater, How old is it can you return it to the store? The temp souldn't fluctuate that much. Not sure if 50w is quit enought for 20gal. maybe move up to 75w or100w. bigger is better they don't have to work as hard. That is why I like Top Fin heaters from Pet Smart, I know they might not be the best heaters out there, but they have a life time warrenty, and time one of my heaters start to act up I bring it in they give me a brand new one no questions asked

 

If your apartment is getting warmer than the temperature the heater is set at, the water temperature will rise. (The heater only works in one direction)

For example, if your heater is set for 75 degrees and your apartment gets up to 80 degrees during the day, the tank water would get up to 80 degrees.

But if at night you apartment dropped to 70 degrees, then the heater would kick in as the water started to drop below 75 degrees keeping the water temperature at 75 degrees.

 

I highly doubt my apartment goes up to 83 degrees during the day Probably more like low 70s at night and mid 70s during the day. It's about a week and half old (ordered from amazon), but I already threw the packaging and such away, so I don't know if they will take it back.

So if it is defective or too small, what heater should I get? I read that Aqueon Pro is a good one?

 

The tank has gone from 77 early this morning to 80 now :\ I just unplugged the heater and cracked a window.

 

I bought one of these heaters, and I took it back after like 3 days. It oozed this weird stuff out of the top, and the temp fluctuated a bit through out the day.

Its definitely NOT one of Hagen's best products...

 

:/ Alright seems like I should order another one, even if my apartment temps are playing a role.

The temp is up to 81 even with the heater off and the window open. I turned the heat in my apartment down too.

 

I wouldn't get another one. After research, these heaters are prone to exploding, and other issues. If that's the price you can afford, go to WalMart and get a Tetra heater. Or, if you have a bit more money, Aqueon and Aqueon Pro's are good heaters, too.

 

Ok, I'll order an Aqueon heater.

I'm thinking its a combo of an inconsistent heater, my apartment heating and the sun in the windows in the morning. I'll try keeping my apartment cooler at night to make up for the daytime.

How bad is it for the temperature to fluctuate like this?

 

Ok, I'll order an Aqueon heater.

I'm thinking its a combo of an inconsistent heater, my apartment heating and the sun in the windows in the morning. I'll try keeping my apartment cooler at night to make up for the daytime.

How bad is it for the temperature to fluctuate like this?

Depending on how fast the swing is, how much it is, and the fish involved, it can be quite bad. Think of like jumping into a cold pool on hot day (or maybe being pushing, since its not something that can helped). Kinda like that...

Keeping any curtains near the tank closed will help a lot, too.

 

Hmm ok. Well I ordered the Aqueon Pro 100w and it will be here Wednesday.

 

It sounds to me like you are making too large of an adjustment on the heater at one time which is compiling the problem with room temperature changes. Try this – Put your thermometer at the other end of the tank or the opposite side of the tank from where the heater is mounted. If the heater is a total submersible one place it horizontal near the bottom of the tank under the intake of the filter so that as the water heats up it rises and is picked up by the filter so that it can be distributed over the tank using the filters circulation. Then when your tank is close to the temperature that you want it to stay at adjust it up until it just comes on then back it off until it just goes off.

Leave it there and watch the temperature over the next 24 hours. As the temperature of the water drops the heater should kick back on and warm the water back up just a bit then kick back off. If you have low circulation in the tank the water around the heater is going to heat up a lot quicker than the water around the thermometer is going to. As the water circulates and distributes its heat the heater should kick back on. If the water heats up over the desired temperature and the heater is not running then it is the air temperature that is heating the tank and the only thing you can do there is lower the rooms temperature. Now if the water temperature falls below the desired temperature at night raise the heaters setting ever so slightly until it just comes on. You might have to repeat this process several times over a few days but it should stabilize so that it stays warm at night.

 

Is the tank near a window?

 

Bowcrazy: I'll try that when the temperature drops to 78, right now it's just under 80. I lowered my apartment temp, opened the windows for a while, and it stopped rising. My filter has its intakes on each side (it's internal) and the heater is next to it (intakes and heater are vertical). The thermometer is on the opposite side of the tank. But I will try adjusting it when it hits 78, to see if it will stay there.

Goldfishesandguppies: The tank's short side is about a foot away from an eastern window. Would it help if I moved it to a different wall in the same room?

 

What temperature are you trying to keep the tank at?

If it is the tank with the Betta that is in your aquarium profile, betta's like a water temperature of 81 degrees. So if you are trying to keep your tank temp at less than 81 degrees, try upping the heater to 81. That should help stop the fluxuation.

 

Really? I thought that just shortens their life span? I also plan on adding some cpds, espei's, and pymgy cories in a couple months. Wouldn't 81 be too high for them?

 

The general rule for heaters is 3-5 watts per gallon. In a 20G tank you want 60-100 watts of heat. With only a 50 watt heater you are going to notice larger temperature swings as the day progresses. Adding this to the fact that your tank sits near a window it is going to cool down at night, and having a small heater, cause the temp to drop lower than expected.

Thread has been moved to the Heaters forum.

 

Well I have the tank consistently at 80 degrees. Will this temperature be ok for the other fish I plan to add?

Celestial pearl danios
Espei's rasboras
Haborsus cories

I tried keeping it at 78, which is fine until the sun comes up :/ The tank is on the wall opposite the windows now.